Advertising device.



T. B. THOMPSON.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

APPLICATION man MAY 20. ms.

Patented Dec. 24, 1918.

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nrnirnn sa n -res mgr we were COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

ADVERTISING DEVICE.

' npplicationfiledlllayiao,i918. Serial:1 Io.235,686.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS B. THOMP- son, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new, useful, and Improved Advertising Device, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in advertising devices, the object being to produce a device which shall arouse an inquisitive interest in the matter being advertised; which shall carry or portray in suggestive form information of vital importance relating to the thing or article being advertised, and which shall be so attractive in appearance and suggestive as to result that the beholder is influenced to investigate.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device for use in advertising player pianos, which device shall carry the suggestion that the piano can be easily played, at least in so far as the mechanical operation of the bellows pedals is concerned.

My invention consists in a player piano having its bellows pedals in operative position and means for representing the application to the pedals of a relatively small downward pressure and suggestive that the piano can be played by such a relatively small force.

My invention also consists in the representation of a baby on hands and knees adjacent to the pedal of a player piano and having one hand above and preferably on one of the bellows pedals and representing the fact that the piano is so easily played that even a baby can play it.

My invention also consists in a player piano having its bellows pedals extended in operative condition and a device representing the application of a slight force and provided with a projecting part adapted to be positioned beneath a brace rod and with another part adapted to be positioned above one of the pedals and arranged to hold the pedal in partly depressed condition.

My invention also consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts and the features of construction by which I am enabled to attain the above mentioned and other objects, and all as hereinafter de- Specifica-tion of Letters Patent.-

rat-eaten Dee. 2a, 191s.

scribed and particularly pointed in'the appended claims. .7

My invention will be more readily understood by re'ference to the accompanying drawing and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a player piano and a cooperating device illustrating one embodiment of my invention; and a Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the piano showing the device in operative relation to the bellows'pedal.

.In said drawings, 1 is 'an inner player piano, having bellows 22 within the lower part thereof, and a perforated music roll device 3 above. The bellows 2-2 are adapted to be operated by'pedals 4 and 5. The pedals are mounted on a frame having a from; bar 6 and side brace rods 7 and 8. These rods are pivoted at their inner ends upon fixed brackets 9 and the frame with the pedals is adapted to be swung into the lower part of the piano through the opening 10 or to be extended to operative position with the bar 6 resting upon the floor and the pedals in suitable inclined position to receive the feet of the person playing the piano. The pedals are each hingedly mounted at their outer ends upon the front bar 6 and each is connected to one of the bellows by a link 11, so that as the pedal is depressed it will expand its bellows in an obvious manner.

The brace rods 7 and 8 extend upwardly at their outer ends as at 12, thereby forming a space beneath the rod and above the floor.

To represent that the piano can be played by a very slight pressure upon the pedals I prefer to provide a device 13 which in this instance represents a baby on its hands and knees; in other words, something which could not apply much force. The device 13 is provided with a projection 14:, in this instance one of the hands of a baby, which is adapted to be placed upon the pedal 5 between it-s ends and suggesting that the baby can press the pedal. For the purpose of enhancing this simulation, I preferably provide the device 13 with a second projection 15, in this instance the other hand of the baby, adapted to project beneath the brace rod 8 between its ends and hold the device 13 from rising, or at least hold the end adjacent the pedal from rising, and I so re late the two projections 14: and 15 relatively to the brace 1"od 8and the surface er the pedal 5 with WhlCh the projection 14 contacts, thatthe pedalwmust be depressed .in

order to permit the the device in position. The device once being placed in position as shown, the upper hand Will have the appearance of actually holding the pedal depressed. In order to ,more clearly showthat the pedal 5 is depressed, I have shown the pedal 4 in Fig. 2 in'dott'ed lines" in its normal position.

' "as clearly shoWn'in'Fig. f2 the-device 13 is relatively thin, in fact Ipr'e ferto make it of heavy )a'ste=board,- a'nd PIOYlClB a picture of -'a baby as shown upon its outer face,

It should be understo0 d that While I have shown the device ashe'l'd inposition the brace rod 8, th1s is not an essential feature of the invention, as the idea that the piano can be played by a slight ressure on the pedals could' be simulated holding the device 13 in position in other Ways and hai lll g'llllei hand 14:: restin'g' upon the pedal.

c nsequently I do not lin'ii-t oi confineniy invention to the specific structures herein shown "and described, except Within the scope of the following claims.

I claim: 1. The herein descrlbed nnprovements comprising the operating pedal, of a mani 'Ihe improvements herein described,

comprising a player piano havingits pedals extended in operative relation, a brace rod adapted to hold the pedals in such. operating relation, a device representing a relatively light Weight or force and having a part engaged beneath the brace rodand another part in contact with one of its pedals retaining it in partially depressed position. 7. i

In Witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 18th day of May, A. D. 1918.

THOMAS E. Tno rsoN.

copies of this patent may Be obtained for cents each; addressing the Commissioner ,of Patents, Washington", D. c. 

